Albert koenig



July 19, 1932. A. KOENIG AUTOMATIC ALARM Filed Aug. 12, 1931 PatentedJuly 19, 1932 PATENT orrrcs ALBERT Korma, or NEWARK, new masterAUTOMATIG ALARM Application filed August 12, 1981. Serial No. 556,690

This invention is an automatic device for sounding an alarm in the eventof a fire, or other emergency. which creates an increase of temperaturein the locality or space to be protected.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a thermally controlledalarm device, which will remain inoperative under normal temperatureconditions in a room or other space in which the alarm is located, butwhich will be automatically set in operation upon an increase oftemperature within said space, beyond a predetermined maximum. furtherobject is to provide an alarm device with means for normally preventingits operation, and thermally controlled means for promptly releasingsaid alarm device from said operation-preventing means in'caseof fire. A

further object is to provide an alarm mechanism which is equipped with atrip arm which controls its operation, with mechanism for normallypreventing movement of said arm, and a movably' mounted thermal.element, which is capable of automatic movement when the temperaturerises to a predetermined maximum in its vicinity, to trip the arm, sothat the alarm mechanism is set in operation.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out. in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of an alarmdevice constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being brokenaway and other parts shown in section. Figure 2 is an edge view, partsbeing broken away and other partsshown in section.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a base of any suitable shape ormaterial, having a gong 11 mounted thereon. Suitably secured to saidbase is the spring actuated alarm-operating-train A of astandard typealarm clock. the same being conventionally illustrated in the drawing,with the striker 12 positioned adjacent to the gong 11. The operation ofthe alarm mechanism'is controlled by a standard character trip arm 13,of the type which is normally held in a posi tion to lock the alarmtrain against movement, and is periodically released in. a manner wellknown in the art of horolog'y, and whicheneed not here be repeated. Itis to be understood, however, that no other part of a clock mechanism isemployed here. 5s

Pivotally mounted onthe base 10 isan alarm-control lever L, providedwith an arm. 14 positioned to engage thetrip arm 13, so as'to hold it ina position to lock the alarm train A. Said lever is also formed with ano longer arm 15 which is provided with a lug 16 on its extremity,positioned to engage a complemental notch in an arm 17 ofa suitablelocking member B, pivoted to an extension 10 of the base, andprovidedwith a second arm 18 The two arms 17 and 18 diverge so that thelocking member B is of approximately V-shape. A spring 19 has one endanchored to the base extension 10*? v and its other end connected withthe arm 15 w of lever L, so that the tension of said spring willnormally tend to move the arm" 14 to the alarm-released position, i. e.out of engage ment with the trip arm 13.

Pivotally secured to the baseextension10 7a is a trigger 20 having onearm ositioned to engage the arm 18 of the locking member. Said triggermember is provided with a fiat extension 21 positioned to be engaged byone end of a thermally controlled actuator memher C. Said member 0preferably consists of a tube 22 of any suitable material, such as glassfor instance, having its ends enlarged to form bulbs 23, 23respectively, the first v mentioned bulb constituting a reservoir. eaSaid tube is filled with-a suitable liquid 24, which 'iscapa-bleofexpanding under in: crease of temperature, so that it will fill thespace between the two bulbs, and in fact will overflow into the bulb 23The tube 18 is W pivoted to the base extension 10 as indicated at 25,the pivot oint being nearer to the bulb 23 than to the ulb 23?, so thatunder normal conditions with the temperature below the maximum at whichthe device is to operate, the material 24 while normally resting in thebulb 23, will retain the tube 18 in the position indicated in full linesin Figure 1.

In practice, the actuator member C is moved to the full line positionillustrated in i. e. until its arm 14 engages and raises the trip arm13,-thereby locking the alarm train against movement. The .lever L isthen locked by placing the lug 16 in the notch of the arm 17 of the lockB, the spring 19 tend:

ing to move said lever in a direction to release the trip arm 13 upondisengagement of the lock 17 Assuming an emergency condition such as afire, the bursting of a steam pipe, or the like, by which thetemperature in the vicinity of the actuator member 0 rises beyond apredetermined maximum degree, the heat will cause the material 24 toexpand and rise in the tube 18 until it finally overflows into the bulb23 whereupon the weight of the material 24 in said bulb 23 added to theweight ofthe tube on that side of its pivot, will overbalance the weightof the reservoir end, causing the actuator C to move to the dotted lineposition illustrated in Figure 1. The bulb 23 during its upward movementstrikes the flattened plate 21'of the. trigger 20, which causes thetrigger in turn to engage the arm 18 ofthe lock B, and to move said lockout of engagement with the lower end of the lever L. The instant thelever L is released, the spring 19 swings the lower end of said lever tothe right, as

viewed in Figure 1, thereby releasing the trip.

arm 13, and settingin operation the alarm train A, causing the striker12 to hammer against the gong 11, thereby sounding a vigorous alarm. Inorder to reset the device. it is only necessary to cool the actuator Csufficiently to cause the thermally responsive material to return to thereservoir 23, whereupon said device may be again tilted to the positionillustrated in full lines, Figure 1.

y then moving the lever L into engagement with the trip lever 13, andwith the lock member B, the parts are reset for a future emergency.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, an importantadvantage is that a very simple form of alarm device has been providedwhich will remain normally inert until an abnormal temperature occurs inthe space in which the device is located, but which is capable of givinga very vigorous audible signal the instant the temperature reaches apredetermined maximum. Another important advantage is that a very simpleform of thermally responsive element is provided, and one which willquickly and promptly respond to the conditions which it is desired tocontrol.

l-laving thus explained the nature-of the invention and described anoperative manher of constructing and using the same, al-

though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it maybe made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is 1. In analarm of the character described, a hollow actuator provided with anexpansible fluid therein, means for movably supporting said actuator'sothat it will move from a predetermined position by expansion of saidfluid, an alarm control lever, means connected with said lever fornormally moving it to and retaining it in a predetermined alarmreleasedposition, means positioned to engage said lever while it is in analarm-stopped position, so as to retain it in the last mentionedposition, said retaining means being operative independently of anyposition as sumed by the actuator, and means positioned to'be engagedand moved by said actuator during movement thereof for positivelydisengaging said leverfrom its releasing means, so that it is free formovement to its alarmreleased position.

2. In an alarm of the character described, a hollow actuator providedwith an expansible fluid therein, means for pivotally supporting theactuator so that it will be rocked on its pivotal-support by change ofcenter of gravity clue to expansion of said fluid, a pivotally supportedcontrol lever, means positioned to engage said lever near one end whileit is in a predetermined alarm-stopped position, said lever and saidengaging means being so constructed and arranged as to normally retainthe lever in said predetermined position, its other end being adapted todirectly engage the triparm of an alarm mechanism, means normally actingto move said control lever from said predetermined position so as torelease said trip arm, means for moving said lever retaining means outof engagement with the lever, said last mentioned means being positionedin the line of travel of said actuator, so as to be positively movedthereby to release the control lever for free movement to alarm-releasedposition.

3. In an alarm of the character described, a hollow actuator providedwith an expansible fluid therein, means for movably supporting saidactuator so that it will move from a predetermined position by expansionof said fluid. a pivotally supported control lever, locklng means forsaid lever positioned means normally acting to move the controlleverfrom said predetermined position so as to release said trip arm, andmeans for moving said locking means out of engagement with the leversons to free the same,

positioned. to enga said lockdisengaging means being positioned in theline of travel of said actuator so as to be positively moved thereby tofree the lever for movement to alarm-released position.

4. In an alarm of the character described, a hollow actuatorprovidedwith an expansible fluid therein,meansfor movably supportingsaid actuator, so that it will move from a predetermined position byexpansion of said fluid, a pivotally supported alarm control lever, apivoted lock member positioned to engage one end of said control leverwhlle the lever is in a predetermined alarm-stopped position, saidcontrol lever and said lock lever being so constructed and arranged asto normally retain the control lever in said predetermined position, theother end of the control lever bein adapted to directly engage the triparm 0 an alarm mechanism, means normally acting to move the control,lever from said predetermined position so as to release said trip arm,means for moving said lock lever out of engagement with the controllever, said last mentioned means being positioned in the line of travelof said actuator so as to be,positively moved therebyto free the controllever for movement to. alarmreleased position. I p

5. In an alarm of the character described, a

hollow actuator provided with an expansible' fluid therein, means forpivotally supporting said actuator so that it will be rocked on itspivotal support by change of the center of graivity due to expansion ofsaid liquid, a pivota ly supported control lever, locking means e oneend of said lever while it is in a pre etermined alarm-stopped position,said control lever and said locking means being so constructed andarranged as to normally retain the control lever in'said predeterminedposition, the other end of said control lever being adapted to directlyengage the trip arm of an alarm mechanism, a spring normally acting tomove the control lever from said predetermined position so as to releasesaid trip arm, and a pivoted trigger member for disengaging the lockingmeans from said control lever, said trigger member being positioned inthe line of travel of said actuatorso as to be positively movedtherebyto release the lever for movement to alarmreleased position under theinfluence of said spring.

6. In an alarm of the character described, a movably mounted actuatorhaving an expansible fluid therein, so that it will be moved byexpansion of said fluid, a pivotally supported control lever providedwith an offset arm at one end adapted to directly engage the trip arm ofan alarm mechanism, a spring engaging the other end of said lever so asto move it in a predetermined alarm-released position, a movable lockingmember having means for engaging the last mentioned end control lever, aspring acting to move sai of said control lever, said locking memberbeing positioned to normally retain the control lever in analarm-stopped position against the tension of said spring, and lockreleasing means positioned in the line of travel of said actuator so asto be positively moved thereby to disengage the lock member from thecontrol lever and free said lever for movement to alarm-releasedposition under the tension of said spring.

7'. In an alarm of the character described, a movably mounted actuatorhaving an expansible fluid therein, so that the actuator will be movedby expansion of said fluid, an alarmlever in a predetermined direction,a V-shape locking member having one end provided with means for engagingsaid lever to prevent movement thereof under the tension of the spring,and means operated by movement of the actuator member .for engaging theother arm of said lock to release'said lever.

' 8. In. an alarm of the character described, a movably mounted actuatorhaving an expansible fluid therein, so that the actuator will be movedby expansion of said fluid, a pivotally'supported control lever havingone end adapted to directly engage the trip arm of an alarm mechanism, aspring connected to said lever and normally acting to move it toalarm-released position with the other end moved to a position to freesaid trip arm, a locking lever having means at one end for engagingcomplemental means on an adjacent end of said control lever, saidiocking means beingpositioned to retain said lever in alarmstoppedposition against the tension of said spring, and means positioned toengage the other end of said lock lever to disengage it from saidcontrol lever, said disengaging means being positioned in the line oftravel of said actuator so as to be positively moved thereby to releasethe control lever.

9. In an alarm of the character described, a movably mounted actuatorhaving an expansible fluid therein, so that the actuator will be movedby expansion of said fluid, a pivotally supported control lever, aspring normally acting to move the control lever to a predeterminedalarm-released position, a pivotally mounted locking lever having oneend provided with means for engaging and holding an adjacent end of saidcontrol lever so as to prevent movement of the control lever underthetension of said spring, a pivot trigger member having one andpositioned to engage the other end of the lock lever, said triggermember having a portion lying in the normal path ofmovement of saidactuator so as to be positively moved thereby and to cause it todisengage the lock lever from the control lever and thereby free it formovement under the tensionof said spring.

10. In an alarm of the character described, a movably mounted actuatorhaving an expansible fluid therein, so that the actuator will be movedby expansion of said fluid, an alarmcontrol lever, a spring acting tomove said lever in a predetermined direction, a V-shape 5. lockingmember having one end provided with means for engaging said lever, so asto prevent movement thereof under the tension of the spring, and-apivoted trigger having a portion positioned to engage the other 30 armof said lock, said trigger having a portion lying in the path ofmovement of said actuator member, so as to be operated thereby.

11. The combination with a gong and a clock mechanism for actuating thesame, said mechanism including a trip arm, of a controllever positionedto engage said trip arm so as to directly hold it in normally lockedposition, means tending to move said lever in a predetermined directionto disengage the lever from said control arm means positioned to engagesaid lever while in an alarmstopped position so as to hold it in thelast mentioned position, a movably mounted actuator having an expansiblefluid therein, so

95 that the actuator will be moved by expansion of said fluid, and meansoperated by said actuator for releasing said lever from its lockmgmeans.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT KOENIG.

